The true Mary Todd Lincoln : a biography

300 Pages·2014·4.15 MB·English

by  Ellison

The True
Mary Todd Lincoln
ALSOBYBETTYBOLESELLISON
The Early Laps of Stock Car Racing: A History of the
Sport and Business through 1974(McFarland, 2014)
The True
Mary Todd Lincoln
A Biography
B B E
ETTY OLES LLISON
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Ellison, Betty Boles.
The true Mary Todd Lincoln : a biography / Betty Boles Ellison.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
♾
ISBN 978-0-7864-7836-1 (softcover : acid free paper)
ISBN 978-1-4766-1517-2 (ebook)
1. Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818–1882. 2. Presidents’ spouses—United States—
Biography. 3. Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865—Family. I. Title.
E457.25.L55E45 2014 973.7092—dc23 [B] 2014003651
BRITISHLIBRARYCATALOGUINGDATAAREAVAILABLE
© 2014 Betty Boles Ellison. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: Oil portrait of a twenty-year-old Mary Todd
painted in 1928 by Katherine Helm, a niece of Mary Todd Lincoln
and daughter of Confederate General Ben H. Helm.
It is based on a daguerreotype taken in Springfield by
N.H. Shepherd in 1846; a companion daguerreotype is the earliest
known photograph of Lincoln (courtesy of the Abraham Lincoln Library
and Museum of Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee)
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
For Sofia E. Franklin
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Preface 1
1. Mary Spreads Her Wings 5
2. Deeds Not Words 20
3. A New Mother 29
4. The Unsavory Business of Slavery 36
5. The Todds Move 46
6. Married Life Begins 56
7. Letters Tell Their Story 68
8. Laying a Presidential Foundation 80
9. “Mary, We Are Elected!” 91
10. Inauguration 105
11. Furnishing the President’s House 117
12. Dirty Politics 127
13. Slings and Arrows 136
14. In the Blink of an Eye 142
15. Pivotal Year of 1863 155
16. Election Time, Again 170
17. Love Is Eternal 182
18. Europe Beckons 197
19. Fire and Brimstone 210
20. All That Remains 239
Chapter Notes 253
Bibliography 275
Index 279
vii
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Acknowledgments
Interest in researching a biography of Mary Lincoln began years ago with my involve-
ment in the restoration and operation of her girlhood home as a board member of the Ken-
tucky Mansions Preservation Foundation (KMPF). The house was rescued from demolition
by former Kentucky first lady Beula C. Nunn.
It is my good fortune to be surrounded by a most supportive and loving family and a
close circle of friends who share my interest in the wife of the sixteenth United States pres-
ident. They were always willing to read manuscript drafts, provide assistance, make sugges-
tions, offer criticism and advance encouragement. They have been the bedrock of this
endeavor. In particular, Kathleen Wills- Ellison’s astute and perceptive copyediting on our
Friday nights together for many months made the book so much better. My appreciation to
Margaret for always being there and willing to go the extra mile.
The name Mary Lincoln seems to have the same magical ring for archivists and librarians
as it does for my family and friends. From Lincoln librarians to archivists at the National
Archives, all were very helpful, but none more so than Jane Gastineau, librarian at the Lincoln
Financial Foundation Collection, Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Jane
always had an answer to my questions through endless emails. Her assistance is most appre-
ciated.
Lou Holden, a long- time curator of the Mary Todd Lincoln House and KMPF board
member, has been a wonderful sounding board for my ideas. Lou shared the extensive work
she did on the relationships of various members of the Todd family.
Michelle Ganz, archivist at the Abraham Lincoln Library at Lincoln Memorial Uni-
versity, Harrogate, Tennessee, was kind enough to provide a copy of a 1928 painting done
by Katherine Helm, Mrs. Lincoln’s niece. Mary Ann Pohl, at the Abraham Lincoln Presi-
dential Library and Museum, Springfield, Illinois, made available information on the first
lady’s jewelry and the sale of her Springfield home.
Frank Stanger and William Marshal, from Special Collections at the University of Ken-
tucky in Lexington, were always helpful in locating material for a number of years. Lisa
Thompson, archivist in the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, in Frankfort,
always offered assistance. B.J. Gooch, archivist and director of Special Collections, Transyl-
vania University, Lexington, provided material on the early Todd family and their close con-
nections in establishing the university. The reference and Kentucky Room librarians at the
Lexington Public Library answered questions and provided material in a most helpful man-
ner.
Anthony B. Willson, archivist at the Twickenham Museum in Middlesex, England,
ix